Trunk.



H. DAVIS.

TRUNK.

R 6, 1912. 1,048,810, Patented Deo.31, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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H. DAVIS.

TRUNK.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 6, 1912.

Patented Deo. 31, 1912.

NI/ENTOR 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES HERE/IAN DAVIS, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

TRUNK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 19112.

Application filed March 6, 1912. Serial No. 681,927.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN Davis, citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trunks, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention pertains to trunks, and contemplates the provision of a trunk adapted to be handled as a unit with the same facility as an ordinary trunk and also adapted to be expeditiously and easily disassembled and arranged in the stateroom of a steamer or the like, in such manner as to occupy but little of the stateroom space. and so that access can be conveniently gained to the interior of all of the elements comprised in the trunk.

The said invention is designed more particularly for embodiment in a trunk of the type comprising a wardrobe member and a drawer-containing member, and when its parts are properly assembled it can be used in the same manner and for the same purposes as other trunks of said type.

In the disassembling of the elements of my novel trunk, the wardrobe member is first disconnected from the drawer-containing member, and then the sections comprised in the drawer-containing member are separated from each other.

With the foregoing in mind the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when the same are read in connection with the drawings, accompanying and forming part of this speciiication, in which:

Figurel is a perspective showing my novel trunk as partially open, and also showing two of thesections comprised in the drawercontaining member as partly broken. Fig. 2 is aI detail view illustrating the means for coupling the wardrobe member to the top section of the drawer-containing member when said wardrobe member is disposed on said drawer section in the manner shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective showing the construction at the bottom of each of the upper drawer sections. Fig. I is a similar View showing the construction at the top of each of the lower drawer sections. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section illustrating the manner in which the wardrobe member is superposed in upright position on the upper of the drawer sections when the parts of the trunk are ar-y ranged in a stateroom or other small apartment. Fig. G is a detail vertical section on an enlarged scale showing the manner in which the superposed drawer sections are strongly connected together to form the drawer-containing member, as shown in Fig. l. Fig. 7 is a view illustrative of the disassembled elements of the trunk as the same may be conveniently arranged in a statcroom, and with respect to the berths thereof, so as to permit of manipulation of each of the several drawers in a convenient manner, as well as convenient access being gained to the interior of the wardrobe member.

Similar numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings, referring to which:

l is the wardrobe member of the trunk. This member may be of any construction suitable to the purpose of my invention without departure from the spirit thereof. I prefer, however, that the said member 1 comprise a body section adapted to contain suitably suspended garments and having the ordinary swell 2 at its upper end, and a door 3 hinged to the body section and equipped with means whereby it can be locked in closed position. I would also have it here understood that the body section of the member lis provided at the middle of the back of its lower end with a right-angle metallic strap I which is adapted to receive in its bight 5, one arm of the U-shaped coupler 6, best shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and hereinafter specifically referred to. I would also state that the body section of member l is provided on its lower end with conventional anti-friction balls, two of which are related to mv invention. These two balls are shown in Fig. 7 and numbered 7, and one of the pair is shown in Fig. 5. I prefer to provide the body ofthe member l with four antifriction balls at its lower end, and I also prefer to provide the lower` section of' the drawer-containing member on its bottom with a plurality of similar anti-friction balls, Fig. 7, said balls being designed to render easy the movement of the trunk as a unit. It will also be understood by reference to Fig. 1 that the body of the member 1 is provided on one side with a lower hinge knuckle S, and two upper hinge knuckles 9. The knuckle 8 includes a pintle receiver 10 which is completely circular in cross-section, while each of the knuckles 9 comprises a pintle receiver 11 of U-shape in cross or horizontal section. It will also be observed by reference to Fig. 1 that the body of the member 1 is provided -at its side which is opposed to the drawer-containing member, with a continuous valance 12 designed to break the joint and exclude the weather from the interior of the trunk when the trunk is fully closed.

The drawercontaining member of my novel trunk will be best understood by comparison of Figs. 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7, of the drawings. ln the present and preferred embodiment of my invention the said member includes a lower drawer section or casing 13, an intermediate section or casing 14, and an upper section or casing 15, each of the said sections or casings containing two slidable drawers 16, which may be and preferably are equipped with suitable locks. Each of the lower and intermediate sections or casings 13 and 14 is provided in its back and adjacent its top with sockets 17, and each is also provided in its top with a countersink 18, Fig. 4, in which is arranged a hinged handle 19; said handle being designed when not in, use to be swung to a position below or flush with the plane of the top. Each of the lower and intermediate sections or casings 13 and 14 is also provided on the forward edge of its top wall with wear-resisting plates 20, Fig. 4, which are preferably of light sheetmetal. The lower section or casing 13 is furthermore provided on one of its sides with a hinge knuckle 21 having fixed thereto a depending pintle 22, Figs. 1 and 7, which pintle is adapted to be seated o-r socketed in the pintle receiver 10 of the hinge knuckle 8 on the body of the member 1. rThe intermediate and upper sections or casings 14 and 15 each has fixed thereto an upwardly extending pintle 30 which is designed to rest in one of the U-shaped receivers 11 of the hinge knuckles 9 on the member 1. Each of the upper and intermediate sections or casings 14 and 15 is also provided on its back and at its sides with a depending valance 23 designed to overlap the back and sides of the next lower section or casing, and on the back portion of each valance are provided forwardly extending fasteners or connectors 24, designed to rest removably in the sockets 17 of the next lower section or casing. 1n this way the back portions of the sections or casings 13, 14 and 15 are strongly connected, and in order to disconnect each sect-ion or casing from the next lower section o-r casing, it is necessary to move the iirst mentioned section or casing rearward so as to withdraw the fasteners 24 from the sockets 17. 1t will also be noted here that the depending valance 23 on each of the upper sections or casings breaks joints with the next lower section or casing, and prevents either forward or side movement of each upper section or casing on the next lower section or casing. Each of the upper and intermediate sect-ions or casings 14 and 15 is provided on the upper side of its bottom wall near the front edge of said wall with two horizontally swinging arms 25, preferably of metal. These arms are provided on their outer portions with clips 26, of U-shape in cross-section, which clips when in the position shown in Fig. 6, are designed to straddle the wall by which the arms 25 are carried, and the top wall of the next lower section or casing.

To disassemble the parts of the trunk, the trunk is opened until the open side of the member 1 is about parallel to the open side of the other member. r1`hen the clips on the sections or casings 15, 14 and 13 are swung open, and the said sections or casings 15, 14 and 13 are moved rearward in the order named, and are set down one after the other. 1 would have it understood in this connection that the preferred mode of disassembling is to remove the upper section or casing 15 before the clips 26 connecting the intermediate and lower sections or casings are opened, this in order to prevent rearward movement of the section or casing 14 when the section or casing 15 is moved rearward. The rearward movement of the sections or casings 15 and 14 serves to withdraw their pintles 30 from the pintle receivers 11, and after the removal of the intermediate section or casing 14, the lower section or casing 13 is raised to withdraw its pintle 22 from the barrel 10 of the hinge knuckle 8. To reassemble the parts, the operation described is reversed.

lNhile 1 prefer to detachably connect the member 1 with the drawer-containing member in the specific hinged manner described, 1 do not desire to be understood as confining myself to such specific construction, inas- `much as the detachable hinge connection may be of any construction compatible with my invention without involving departure from the scope of my claimed invention. The top section or casing 15 is provided on its upper side with an ordinary swell 40, a handle 41, ball-seats 42 and a plate 43 having a socket 44.

Having described my invention, what 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. 1n a trunk, the combination with a member comprising a lower section having L at one side a hinge knuckle provided with a depending pintle; a section removably superposed on the lower section and having a depending valance overlapping the back and sides thereof, and also having at one side a hinge knuckle provided with an upwardly extending pintle; and means detachably connecting said sections together, of a second member having a hinge knuckle provided with a receiver' in which is removably arranged the depending pintle on the lower section of the first-named member, and also having a hinge knuckle provided with a receiver of U-shape in cross-section in which is removably arranged the upwardly extending pintle of the second-named section and from which said pintle is adapted to be laterally Withdrawn.

2. In a trunk, the combination with a member comprising a lower section having at one side a. hinge knuckle provided with a depending pintle; a section removably superposed on the lower section and having a depending valance overlapping the back and sides thereof, and also having at one side a hinge knuckle provided with an upwardly extending pintle and means detachably connecting said sections together, of a second member having a valance to receive the first-named member when the trunk is closed and also having a hinge knuckle provided with a receiver in which is removably arranged the depending pintle on the lower section of the first-named member, and further having a hinge knuckle provided with a receiver of U-shapeV in cross-section in which is removably arranged the upwardly extending pintle of the second-named section and fro-m which said pintle is adapted to be laterally withdrawn.

3. The combination in a trunk, of a member made up of a plurality of sections arranged one against the other, means detachably connecting said sections together, and a second member detachably hinged to the sections of the first-named member and adapted in its closed position to close the front of said member; said second-named member servingV when connected with the sections of the first-named member to prevent separation of said sections.

4. A trunk comprising a member having a swell and seats on its top and also having on said top a socket, a second member hinged to and detachable from the first-named member and having a socket and also having anti-friction devices on its bottom; said second-named member being adapted when detached from the first-named member to be superposed thereon with its anti-friction devices resting in the seats of the first-named member and its forward portion resting on the swell thereof, and a coupler adapted to be placed in the said sockets of the members to positively connect the same in the superposed relation.

5. In a trunk, the combination with a member comprising a lower section; a section removably superposed on the lower section and having a depending valance overlapping the back and sides thereof, and

Cop'ies of this patent may be obtained for means detachably connecting said sections together, of a second member detachably hinged to the lower section of the firstnamed member, and a hinge having a part on said second member and also having a part on the upper section of the first-named member which latter part is separable from the first-named part by rearward movement of the upper section.

6. In' a trunk, the combination with a member comprising a lower section; a section removably superposed on the lower section and having a depending valance overlapping the back and sides thereof, and means detachably connecting said sections together, of a second member detachably hinged to the lower section of the first-V named member and having a valance to receive vsaid member when the trunk is closed, and a hinge having a part on said second member and also the upper section of the first-named member which latter part is separable from the firstnamed part by rearward movement of the upper section.

V7. The combination of superposed sections; one of said sections having an upright side'anda socket horizontal throughout its length therein, and the other section having a valance that overlapsV the said side of the first-named section and is provided with a fastener that is rigid with and eX- tends forwardly throughout its length at a right-angle from the valance and is removably arranged in said socket', the secondnamed section being slidable on the firstnamed section to insert and withdraw the fastener, and means arranged at the opposite side of the superposed sections and detachably connecting the same.

8. The combination in a trunk, of a member made up of a plurality of sections arranged one against the other, and connecting means carried by one of said sections and detachable from the other by rearward movement of the section by which it is carried, and a second member detachably hinged to the sections of the first-named member and adapted in its closed position to close the front of said member; said secondnamed member serving when connected with the sections of the first-named member to prevent separation of said sections.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto setV my hand in presence of two subscribing wltnesses.

F. A. SCHUBER, CnnLNnY Porlamar.

ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

havin(lr a art on 

